Copier/printer job stacking with discrete cover sheets with extending printed banners

Abstract

An improved system for segregating and identifying separate job sets from a commonly stacked output of plural job sets of copy sheets sequentially generated by a printer and sequentially outputted into a sheet stacker in which they may be superposed commonly stacked. A control system selects which standard size sheet supply tray of the printer will feed the copy sheets for a selected job set, and can automatically feed and print a cover sheet of a larger size or different orientation before or after the job set copy sheets are fed. The sheet stacker may desirably stack the copy sheets of the job sets commonly edge aligned but so that at least one edge area of the cover sheets extends substantially from at least one edge of the stack of copy sheets of the job sets to provide an exposed printed banner strip for clear job sets segregation and separation even if the commonly stacked plural job sets of copy sheets are misaligned in subsequent handling. The cover sheets may be printed side up even if the job set copy sheets are stacked printed side down. The exposed banner strip may have identifying indicia printed thereon for identifying job sets.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An improved system for segregating, identifying and separating separate job sets of copy sheets from a commonly stacked output of plural job sets of copy sheets and cover sheets therefor which are sequentially generated by a printer, wherein the copy sheets are sequentially outputted into a sheet stacker in which the plural job sets of copy sheets and their cover sheets may be superposed commonly stacked; and wherein the printer has at least two separate sheet supply trays for the selective feeding of at least two standard sizes of copy sheets for printing; comprising: control means for selecting which said sheet supply tray will feed copy sheets for a selected job set and for a cover sheet for said job set;   said control means automatically repeatedly feeding and printing a cover sheet for a job set from a said sheet supply tray which is different from the said paper sheet supply tray from which said job set copy sheets are fed;   said sheet stacker being adapted to commonly stack said plural job sets of copy sheets and said respective cover sheets therefor commonly edge aligned on at least two edges, but with at least one edge area of said cover sheets for said job sets extends substantially from at least one edge of said stack of copy sheets of job sets to provide an exposed extended edge banner strip which provides job set segregation and separation by being easily visible and graspable even if said stack of plural job sets is subsequently misaligned;   wherein said sheet supply tray from which said cover sheets are fed contains a differently oriented standard paper size than the sheet supply tray from which said job set copy sheets are fed.   
     
     
       2. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 1, wherein said sheet stacker includes stacking registration means providing sheet stacking edge alignment in said sheet stacker of at least one edge of said job sets other than said at least one edge from which said cover sheets extend. 
     
     
       3. An improved system for segregating, identifying and separating separate job sets of copy sheets from a commonly stacked output of plural job sets of copy sheets and cover sheets therefor which are sequentially generated by a printer, wherein the copy sheets are sequentially outputted into a sheet stacker in which the plural job sets of copy sheets and their cover sheets may be superposed commonly stacked; and wherein the printer has at least two separate sheet supply trays for the selective feeding of at least two standard sizes of copy sheets for printing; comprising: control means for selecting which said sheet supply tray will feed copy sheets for a selected job set and for a cover sheet for said job set;   said control means automatically repeatedly feeding and printing a cover sheet for a job set from a said sheet supply tray which is different from the said paper sheet supply tray from which said job set copy sheets are fed;   said sheet stacker being adapted to commonly stack said plural job sets of copy sheets and said respective cover sheets therefor commonly edge aligned on at least two edges, but with at least one edge area of said cover sheets for said job sets extends substantially from at least one edge of said stack of copy sheets of job sets to provide an exposed extended edge banner strip which provides job set segregation and separation by being easily visible and graspable even if said stack of plural job sets is subsequently misaligned;   wherein said printer and said control means are further adapted to print job set identifying indicia on said edge area banner of said cover sheet which extends from said job set of copy sheets in said sheet stacker, before said cover sheets are outputted to said stacker.   
     
     
       4. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 2, wherein said sheet supply tray from which said cover sheets are fed contains a larger standard paper size than said sheet supply tray from which said job set copy sheets are fed. 
     
     
       5. The plural job sets segregation system of claim 2, wherein said sheet supply tray from which said cover sheets are fed contains standard legal size sheets, and wherein said sheet supply tray from which said job set copy sheets are fed contains standard letter size sheets. 
     
     
       6. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 3, wherein said job set identifying indicia on said extending edge area banner includes indicia indicating the generator of the directly adjacent job set in the common stack of plural job sets in the sheet stacker. 
     
     
       7. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 3, wherein said cover sheets are at least partially perforated along a tear-off line, which tear-off line is positioned so that said extended edge banner portion can be torn off leaving the remaining portion of the cover sheet with the same dimensions as said job set copy sheets. 
     
     
       8. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 7, wherein said cover sheet is printed in both said removable extending edge portion banner and said remaining portion, and wherein said remaining portion is printed with job set text to form part of said job set. 
     
     
       9. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 7, wherein at least one tear-off mailing label is printed on said extended edge banner portion. 
     
     
       10. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 3, wherein said cover sheets have printed job set identifying indicia, and wherein said job set copy sheets are stacked printed side down in said sheet stacker and wherein said cover sheets are stacked with said printed side up in said sheet stacker. 
     
     
       11. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 3, wherein said stacker is a two-axes corner stacker with a stacking surface and two edge registration surfaces substantially perpendicular said stacking surface for edge alignment of both said job set copy sheets and said cover sheets to said two edge registration surfaces. 
     
     
       12. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 3, wherein said stacker is a two-axes corner stacker with a stacking surface and two edge registration surfaces substantially perpendicular said stacking surface for edge alignment of both said job set copy sheets and said cover sheets to said two edge registration surfaces, and wherein said stacker provides unobstructed stacking space on said stacking surface on at least one of the sides thereof opposite from said two edge registration stacking surfaces for said extended edge areas of said cover sheets. 
     
     
       13. The plural job sets segregating system of claim 3, wherein said stacker is a two-axes corner stacker with a stacking surface and two edge registration surfaces substantially perpendicular said stacking surface for edge alignment of both said job set copy sheets and said cover sheets to said two-edge registration surfaces, and wherein said stacker provides unobstructed stacking space on said stacking surface on at least one of the sides thereof opposite from said two edge registration stacking surfaces for said extended edge areas of said cover sheets, and wherein said stacking surface inclines downwardly from the horizontal on both axes towards both said registration surfaces to provide gravity corner stacking.